This November 8th at 7 p.m., Congregation B’nai Israel (CBI) will be painting Boca Raton gold.

That’s because the next guest speaker in the annual CBI Inspires Speakers Series will be gold medal gymnast Aly Raisman. Raisman, 24, is celebrated for her top medal level performances, competing against the world’s best in London in 2012 and again four years later in Rio De Janeiro. She served as U.S. team captain and under her leadership, her squads took the team gold medals in both sets of games. As a world-famous Jewish athlete, she also was the torch lighter for the 2013 Maccabiah Games in Israel.

A best-selling author, Raisman released “Fierce” late last year. The book is a New York Times best-seller that has received wide acclaim. "Her story is one of persistence, hardship, triumph and leadership,” noted Woman’s Sports Federation founder Billie Jean King. A survivor of sexual harassment during her first years in sports, Raisman currently serves as a nationwide leader for the “MeToo” movement. She recently led more than 140 survivors in receiving the Arthur Ashe Award at the 2018 ESPY Awards during the evening’s most emotional moment. “To all the survivors out there, don't let anyone rewrite your story. Your truth does matter. You matter. And you are not alone,” she said in her moving speech.

WPTV Anchor to Moderate

The Congregation B’nai Israel family is proud to announce that Ashleigh Walters, anchor at WPTV-NBC Channel 5 in West Palm Beach, will serve as moderator for the evening. Ashleigh will speak with Raisman in a question-and-answer format on stage at the event.

“We’re thrilled to have Ashleigh as our moderator for what promises to be an unforgettable and meaningful evening. She is an accomplished news professional with outstanding credentials and a great personal style,“ said CBI Executive Director Steve Allen.

In addition to anchoring Today on 5 weekend mornings, Ashleigh’s been selected to travel outside of the viewing area, reporting for WPTV and Scripps Broadcasting stations nationwide, including: 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee, Aurora theater shooting, Colorado’s epic floods with $1 billion in damage, Hurricane Isaac hitting New Orleans and THE New York City debut of NBC’s “The Voice” winner Cassadee Pope.

A New Direction for the Inspires Series

Raisman joins prior speakers in the series including Deepak Chopra, Maya Angelou, Alan Dershowitz and Chuck Todd, host of NBC’s Meet the Press. Allen notes that “past speakers have generated tremendous exposure and support for our organization but this year we will be going in a new and broader direction. Aly’s dedication to her sport, her country and her faith has been an inspiration and a model for the youth of our community.” Given Raisman’s wide appeal to all segments of the community, CBI expects record-setting attendance. Partial proceeds from the November 8 event will benefit Darkness to Light and CBI’s Kantor Family Center for Justice (KFCJ), dedicated to helping those in need and building interfaith ties in the community.

Event Information

Following Raisman’s time with the audience, CBI will host an exclusive meet-and-greet dessert reception open to CBI Inspires Series sponsors. Autographed copies of “Fierce” will be available for purchase. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, contact Steve Allen at steve.allen@cbiboca.org Event tickets are now on sale and range in price from $18 to $90. Those seeking to attend can call (866) 846-6328 or visit the CBI website at https://www.cbiboca.org/ for more information or to place a ticket order. Media Contact: Andrew M. Rose Kvell Communications Phone: (561) 945-9356 Email: andy@kvellraisers.com